Three teams punch their ticket to postseason play as the Stars, Gold, and Gamblers are all now assured a playoff spot. Many others strengthen their position with wins in Week 14, but there is still a lot to be settled as 9 playoff spots and 15 contenders remain in the hunt. The Fire win their fourth in a row to ensure their first winning season in franchise history and are now very much on track for a first round bye. Nashville and Baltimore win their third straight and are playing well despite some injury setbacks. In the West, Houston’s win streak hits 8 games, but they still remain a game behind the Denver Gold, who have won 4 in a row and could lock up the #1 seed next week. It is a mad dash to the postseason, with balanced play, injuries, and late surges making this one of the most entertaining seasons in years.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS 37 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 34
We start this week with a high action game in the desert as the Wranglers, needing a win to stay alive in the playoff hunt, hosted the Washington Federals, at risk of dropping out of the top 6 in the Eastern Conference. What we got was surprising QB play from both starters, a superstar reasserting his dominance, and over 70 points as the two battled down to the final play.
Arizona has been playing pretty good complementary football of late, and hoped to have a chance to continue a good run as they faced a Federals squad that dropped 4 games in the past 6 weeks. But the Federals came out of the gate looking very solid as they built up an early 17-point lead in the first, looking very much like the early season contender in the NE Division. Touchdowns from Deuce McCallister and Deion Branch helped the Feds get the jump on their hosts. It would be a big game for both longstanding Federal stars as McCallister would bust out for 127 yards on only 14 carries, averaging 9.1 yards per touch on the day.
Arizona would finally start to show some signs of life as the second quarter began as David Carr, who would finish the day 30 of 46 for 295 yards and 4 scoring tosses moved the Wranglers into scoring range, thanks in part to a very nice 13-yard catch on 3rd and 10 from Kasim Osgood. Arizona would have to settle for 3 on the drive, but it was a sign that they were beginning to get the ball rolling. They would do even better on their next drive, with Larry Fitzgerald catching the first of 2 TDs on the day as the Wranglers brought the deficit down to only 7. But, the defense would have a major error on the very next play from scrimmage and set Washington back up 14.
After a solid kick return gave Washington the ball on their own 23, Coach Payton threw a wrinkle at the Wranglers that was designed to take advantage of their over-aggressive approach to McCallister. David Garrard faked the ball to McCallister, who headed left for an apparent sweep. The entire defense crashed to the left, and by the time they realized that Garrard had bootlegged right, they were completely out of position. Only the corner was in range to stop Garrard as he raced down the right side, but a solid shove from veteran WR Eddie Kennison took the corner out of the play and Garrard raced 73 yards for a score. It was a huge play on what would be a huge confidence-building day for Garrard.
Arizona would get back 3 points before the half, but they went into the break down 27-13 after a Doug Pelfrey kick ended the period. The Wranglers would need a big run in the second half to have any shot of a comeback, but first they would have to figure out what Sean Payton’s offense was throwing at them.
In the second half, Payton mixed up runs by McCallister and Rod Smart, with some safe passes from Garrard to his wideouts and to TE Heath Miller. As Arizona struggled to get consistent drives going, failing on their only scoring drive of the 3rd quarter when a Nick Folk kick sailed too far left, Washington bumped up the advantage a tick with another Pelfrey kick to take back their 17 point lead at 30-13.
But Arizona, started finding some success towards the end of the half, now implementing a faster offensive pace, and using TE Rob Gronkowski more in the passing game. He would finish with 5 catches, outdone only by Larry Fitzgerald’s 7. The Wranglers moved the ball down the field at the end of the third quarter, and just as the teams swapped sides of the field, David Carr found TE Mark Breuner in the endzone for his second TD toss of the game. 30-20 with 14:23 left to play.
Arizona would get the ball back after a tip at the line dropped a pass intended for Kennison right into the arms of LB Pat Angerer. Only 3 plays later Carr would find Antonio Bryant in the endzone and the Wranglers were again knocking at the door. Now up only 3 (30-27), the momentum appeared to have swung fully to the Wranglers and the stadium was alive as fans cheered them on. But, once again, it would be David Garrard with his feet doing damage to Arizona’s playoff hopes. On a long drive that started on their own 17, Washington used 14 plays to work their way down the field, including a 7-yard scramble by Garrard that kept the drive alive on a 3rd and 5 play. Later in the drive, and facing a 2nd and 15 at the 25 after a penalty, Garrard called his own number. Seeing no one open on the play, he took advantage of a gap in the pocket and scrambled right up the middle. With help from a Heath Miller block out of the linebacker, Garrard made it into the secondary, juked the safety and fell into the endzone for his second TD run of the game.
The score put Washington back up by 10, and with only 3:07 left to play, it would take a huge effort from the Wranglers to get back in it. Fans would get just that. On their next possession, David Carr led an efficient 2-minute drill down the field. They used only 7 plays to score, Carr connecting on his 4th TD throw of the game, a perfect fade route to Fitzgerald who stretched over the defender to come down with the ball and once again drop the difference to 3.
Arizona would go for the onside kick with 57 seconds left, and they would recover, setting themselves up at their own 48, needing only about 17 yards to get in range for Nick Folk’s leg. Carr would immediately look for Fitzgerald again and with a quick out route would get an immediate 7 yards. A dump off to Tomlinson got them 4 more and a first down, but time was now the issues. Arizona had no time outs left, so they had to work the sidelines. After failing on first down, they swung the ball to Osgood, but the receiver slipped as he reached for the sideline. The ref ruled him down in play, and the clock kept ticking. On 2nd down the Wranglers were forced to down the ball to stop the clock. Third and 4 from the 35, in range but not comfortably for Folk. Carr went for Fitzgerald again, but a great jump on the ball by Feds CB Sheldon Brown allowed the defender to tip the ball out of Fitzgerald’s hands. It would have to be Folk from the 35, for a 52-yard attempt.
Folk would get plenty of leg into the ball, but for a second time the ball sliced to the left, drifting wide of the posts. Arizona would be eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Washington would be right back in the thick of it with an 8-6 record, 2 games behind the Stars, but right in the mix for a Wild Card. The Wrangler fans would go home disappointed, but still optimistic about a club that seems to be putting some pieces together this year.
NEW JERSEY 23 BALTIMORE 29
Another contender for game of the week, this one saw two division foes just throw body blow after body blow at each other. New Generals’ HB Maurice Jones-Drew had his best game as a General, rushing for 106 yards and a score on 23 carries. Ron Dayne was held to only 76, but averaged 4.6 YPC and also landed a TD. Mike McMahon threw fro 278, dropping back 45 times on the day, and both Antonio Gates and Tory Holt.
CHICAGO 20 TAMPA BAY 17
Chicago got a huge boost from a Jimmie Williams 64-yard punt return score, and Michael Turner’s 115 yards helped them grind out a tough road win despite Brady Quinn going only 9 of 21 for 120 yards on the day.
ORLANDO 3 CHARLOTTE 23
Quite an upset as the Monarchs, playing for pride, showed plenty of it against an oddly flat Renegades club. Fred Jackson rushed for 2 scores and the Monarch D picked off Drew Brees twice as the Monarchs sent Orlando to 7-7 on the year and gave Atlanta a boost in their quest to win the Southeast Division.
PITTSBURGH 20 ST. LOUIS 16
A tough win for the Maulers, but a win nonetheless. St. Louis showed some spirit, holding Pittsburgh to only 260 total yards, but the Maulers, on a TD from Pickett to Kevin Johnson, edged them in the end to move to 9-4-1 and remain atop the Central for another week.
NEW ORLEANS 13 JACKSONVILLE 10
New Orleans also struggled against a resurgent Bulls team, but again found a way to pull it out in the end. A 4th quarter TD run from Kenny Irons helped New Orleans stay alive in the playoff hunt, eliminating the Bulls in the process.
LOS ANGELES 23 SEATTLE 26
Despite a nice game from Randy Moss, LA could not keep pace with the Dragons as Byron Leftwich threw for 2 scores to David Boston and Dave Rayner put 3 kicks between the uprights to edge the Express.
OAKLAND 13 DENVER 17
A big showdown between two very good teams and two very intimidating defenses. Denver knocked Bob Volek out late in the game and that may have been the difference as they clung to a 17-10 lead and managed to force Oakland to go for a kick instead of a touchdown midway through the final period. This was a game for fans of solid defense all the way around, and could be a preview of the Western final.
PHILADELPHIA 17 BOSTON 9
The Stars took care of business, and in doing so, knocked the defending champions out of playoff contention. Kurt Warner connected with Steve Smith early and Steve Slaton rushed for 80 yards as Philadelphia never trailed. Boston got close on a Chad Johnson TD, but Slaton put the game waway in the 4th with a 1-yard run for 6.
ATLANTA 21 BIRMINGHAM 14
The Fire all but guaranteed themselves a division title with a huge win in Birmingham. Kyle Orton threw for 296 and 2 scores in his best game of the year and the defense kept the Stallions under control all game. Add in a nice 14-yard TD scamper by J. J. Arrington and the Fire were in business and looking at printing up some postseason tickets.
TEXAS 9 HOUSTON 23
A tough task for a rising Outlaw squad, to come into NRG Stadium and steal a win from their rival. In the end, Houston just had too much, and with Matt Hasselbeck able to throw for 300 yards and 2 scores, the Outlaws, just could not respond. Joe Flacco was sacked 6 times, including 2 from Houston’s favorite 2010 acquisition, former Blitz defensive captain Joe Farrior as the red hot Gamblers just keep rolling 7’s.
PORTLAND 20 MICHIGAN 6
The Panthers still are showing no signs of life after the injury to Brian Griese. Meanwhile Portland is riding Jonathan Stewart back to .500 and are still alive for a playoff spot. Fans in Detroit actually started to boo their club by the 4th quarter after Colquitt’s 10th punt of the game.
OHIO 17 LAS VEGAS 19
An important home win for the Thunder as they move to 8-6 and remain in the Wild Card pool. Tony Banks got the start for the injured Jake Plummer and helped the team win with 3 TDs (offsetting 2 picks). The defense did the rest, with Erasmus James getting a safety for the D, the eventual difference in the score.
NASHVILLE 23 MEMPHIS 16
For a team already eliminated from playoff contention, Memphis gave us a good show on Sunday Night, taking an early lead on the Knights and nearly knocking them off, but Frank Gore and the offense had enough to eventually take the lead and hold it. The win boosts Nashville’s chances to win the South and get the automatic playoff spot for the division titlist.
Foster Injury a Huge blow to Mauler Playoff Hopes
The Pittsburgh Maulers have been very excited about a season that already has them guaranteed a winning record at 9-4-1. They have a real shot at the Central Division title, but this week’s game brought them crashing down to reality as lead HB DeShaun Foster was lost for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. The injury occurred as Foster was trying to make a sharp cutback on a counter play, and it was immediately obvious that he had suffered a bad injury.
Foster had already missed 4 games earlier this season due to injury, but had bounced back with some really solid performances, going for 133 against Tampa Bay, 104 against Michigan, and just last week 143 against the Ohio Glory. With a diagnosis of a partially torn Achilles, his season is now done and the Maulers will have to rely on backup Kenny Watson to spark an offense that is run dependent. Watson played well in 4 starts when Foster went down earlier. He has 624 yards this season to Foster’s 855, but lacks the explosiveness of Foster, meaning that the Maulers will have to do more in the passing game to generate big plays.
That reality puts pressure on Cody Pickett to produce. Pickett has had his best season as a Mauler this year, with a rating over 90 for for the first time in Pittsburgh. He has thrown for 21 TDs with only 10 poicks, again career bests and is completing around 67% of his passes, but it has been clear all season that the Maulers rely on their run game and their top ranked scoring defense to get wins. That will need to be adjusted a little if the Maulers want to finish strong, capture an unexpected Central Division title, and get through more than an opening round playoff game.
Harrington Return Delayed
Hopes that Oakland would have their QB, Joey Harrington, back on the field for the final two weeks of the season have been dashed as the team today announced that their Oregon Duck would not be able to suit up until at least Week 16, and possibly not until the playoffs. That puts Oakland who have lost 2 straight and dropped out of the #1 seed position, in a rough position with 2 weeks left. Backup Bob Volek, who has kept the Invaders viable all season, is listed as questionable this week after suffering a concussion in Week 14’s game. Las Vegas is knocking on the door and could overtake the Invaders, which would mean that they would face a Wild Card game, not a bye in the first week of playoff action.
It had been hoped that Harrington’s recovery would allow him to return to the field as early as Week 13, but now the Invaders have to hope for two strong games from their backups, starting with the possibility that Kevin Kolb, the NJ import, will start in Week 15. That prospect cannot make Invader fans feel comfortable about their situation.
Players Making Noise as Teams Eliminated
Never let it be said that players are not affected by losing games. As the season winds down and several teams have been eliminated from postseason contention, we are hearing more and more rumblings from unhappy players, hoping perhaps to either force a deal in the offseason or convince their GM’s to bring in some help. We have the usual culprits, the wideouts, openly stating that they want to be traded or, in some cases, lobbying for more support. No surprise that Terrell Owens, who went from contender Philadelphia, to 2-12 Birmingham this offseason, is not happy. Owens is locked into a 3-year deal with the Stallions, and we see no chance he will be traded, but it seems clear that he does not see Kyle Boller or Anthony Wright as the future. Birmingham might make him happy if they can sign a new QB in the offseason, because he certainly is getting top billing for the Stallions among offensive stars right now.
Another wideout making noise is Chad “85” Johnson, who went from league champion in 2009 to a non-playoff team in 2010. He is being a bit more cautious, out of respect for Coach Fox, but his desire to see a new offensive scheme in place (and again, very likely a new QB, though he has not criticized Adrian McPherson) is pretty clear. The key in Boston may actually be improving the line, because McPherson has struggled, just as Bledsoe had, with frequent pressure, which makes it tough for Johnson to get the deep throws he loves so much.
Another player who has been making considerable noise is actually a free agent in just 2 weeks, and we think he very well could be looking for a new home. Troy Polamalu has been a diehard for the Express since coming into the league, but for his efforts he has not seen much success. We could very well see one of the best safeties in the game on the free agent market as he simply does not feel that the team has done enough to be successful in his early career.
Noise as well coming from Portland, where both DT Jason Fisk and LB Mike Maslowski, two defensive stars on a pretty good squad, are being pretty vocal about the lack of offensive consistency the club has shown and the pressure that has put on the defense. Both Fisk and Maslowski are also currently ending up contracts, so we could see a major shift in personnel on Portland’s defense, particularly if Coach Brooks is not pleased by their statements to the press.
Finally, a bit of a rare situation as a veteran QB has all but come out and said he hopes to be traded. It is rare that a starting QB is openly critical of his team, but that is what we are hearing from Drew Brees, who seems to be souring in his relationship with Coach Emmit Thomas. Brees has had a rough year, with Orlando underachieving as they sit at 7-7. They were expected to be a clear favorite in the SE Division, but it just has not happened. Their defense has struggled to a mediocre 17th in the league in yards allowed (13th in points), and the offense has not been as much of a focus as a superstar QB would like. In fact, Brees has found himself pressured often, forcing 10 picks, which is very uncharacteristic for a very accurate QB. He has a rating this year of 91.5. his worst since a bad 2003 season in Michigan that led to a trade to the ‘Gades.
Brees would be a hot commodity of the Renegades were to offer him for trade. With so many teams desperate for QB help, we expect Orlando could fetch as much as 3 first round picks for the former MVP. That could go a long way towards helping them retool their offense and their roster in general. It is a tantalizing prospect to be sure. For now, nothing is final. Orlando has 2 more games to try to push for a playoff spot, but when their season comes to an end, we would not be surprised to see the pairing of Thomas and Brees come to an end.
It took 14 weeks of USFL action, but we finally have our first playoff teams locked in. Philadelphia at 10-4 has not yet locked up the NE Division, but they have guaranteed themselves a playoff spot. They have a 1-game lead on the Baltimore Blitz and, thanks to a better division record, would win a tie between the two, which means one more Stars victory or a Blitz loss and the Stars will clinch the division.
Over in the West, two teams from the SW Division are in as both 11-3 Denver and 10-4 Houston have secured a spot in the postseason. Houston sits at 5-1 in the division, which means that if they can catch up on the 1-game deficit with Denver, they would take the SW Division. Denver has a tough game against Texas this week and then finishes up with Baltimore, both teams likely to be seen in the postseason. Houston also has a tough final pair of games with a road game in Oakland before facing the Pittsburgh Maulers in Week 16. Again, both clubs are likely playoff bound, so we could see either of these clubs go 0-2 and drop in the playoffs, but they cannot drop out as both have locked up spots.
Beyond these three there are teams that control their own destiny and those that need help to either win a division or earn a Wild Card. Among those who can walk their way to a division title with 2 wins in the final two weeks we have Atlanta, whose 2-game lead over both the Bandits and Renegades means a win is all they need. Nashville is in a tighter race, dealing with New Orleans, both at 8-6 right now. The two face each other in Week 16, and, once again that game is almost certainly going to be a winner-take-all affair for the Southern Division. Both could be in the playoffs before then, but we expect that game to determine the division.
In the Pacific, Oakland has lost their last two games and that means that Las Vegas still has a crack at a division title. If the Invaders can rebound and win their last two, then the title is theirs. Las Vegas still has a chance, but basically needs to not only make up the 1-game deficit, but actually pull ahead by a game, since division record, the 2nd tiebreaker after head-to-head, goes to the Invaders. In the Central Division, their odd tie against the Ohio Glory means that Pittsburgh has a half-game lead on Chicago. If they can keep the same final win total as Chicago, they will win the division by a half game.
Others who control their ability to make the playoffs with 2 wins include the Breakers, Federals, Thunder and Machine. Those currently on the outside looking in, but still potentially eligible if any of the current Top 12 stumble, include Tampa Bay and New Jersey, both at 7-7, Texas at 8-6, and both Portland and Michigan at 7-7. We expect that 9 wins will be the minimum needed to qualify, so that means we have 4 teams that need to go 2-0 and also hope for some help to get a postseason berth.
Among the eliminated we have newly disqualified Seattle, Arizona, Jacksonville, and Boston. They join Charlotte, Memphis, Birmingham, LA, St. Louis, and Ohio at the bottom of the standings. Right now, the top draft pick would belong to the 2-12 Stallions, while Ohio at 2-11-1, would get the 2nd pick. St. Louis and LA would be 3rd and 4th if the season ended today.
DeShaun Foster’s injury was the big story this week but it was hardly the only injury which will impact the final 2 weeks of the season. Several contending teams will be working around gaps in their starting lineup as some key contributors are going to be out at least Week 15, with some likely gone significantly longer. Among those to keep an eye on we have the following:
G Jorge Diaz (TEX): Placed on IR with a neck injury.
CB Ken Lucas (BAL): Placed on IR with a torn MCL
CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (LA): Placed on IR with a torn ACL
G Seymour Guerra (CHA): Placed on IR with a spinal cord injury
WR Darnerien McCants (CHA): Placed on IR with a hernia.
WR Julian Edelman (BIR): Placed on IR with a torn quad.
SS Bob Sanders (NJ): Added to IR with shoulder injury
DE Chris Kelsay (ATL): 1-2 weeks with a broken wrist.
T Jon Stinchcomb (NSH): 1-2 weeks with a shoulder injury
LB Lance Briggs (ARZ): Doubtful with fractured collarbone
DE Marcellus Wiley (MEM): Doubtful with a dislocated knee.
LB Shawne Merriman (DEN): Questionable with a dislocated finger.
WR Demaryius Thomas (ATL): Questionable with a tight hamstring.
QB Bob Volek (OAK): Questionable with a concussion.
QB Drew Brees (ORL): Questionable with a torn meniscus.
With 2 Weeks Left, Free Agent Talk Begins
We mentioned a couple of potential free agents in our story about disgruntled players speaking out, but those few names are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to players on contract years who have yet to sign. What could be a very strong free agent class is on the horizon with only 2 weeks left for more than half the teams in the league to resign or restructure contracts. We know that 16 of 28 teams will see their contract-year players become free agents in 3 weeks time (not on the market, but officially out of contract) when the regular season ends, with the other clubs having the same fate as they are removed from playoff competition. So, who is out there that could make a splash this offseason with a big move to a new team? Let’s look at it team by team, recognizing, of course, that several of these players are already deep into contract negotiations and could find their way to a new deal before the market opens in August.
ARIZONA: WR Larry Fitzgerald is the obvious name up for renewal, but all accounts are that a deal is close and that Fitzy wants to stay with an Arizona squad that seems to be headed upwards. More likely to be looking for greener pastures is LB Napoleon Harris, whose role within the defensive scheme of Jim Tomsula has not produced what either would prefer.
ATLANTA: Charles Woodson is 34, and could mull retirement, but if he wants to keep playing, Atlanta would be foolish to let the All-USFL corner go. That will be expensive, and with Kyle Orton having a brilliant contract year, signing both will have to mean that others will fall through the cracks. There just is not enough money to sign everyone, even with a pretty sizable amount of cap space for the Fire.
BALTIMORE: Left Tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson has to be top priority for the Blitz, which means that others like DT Jeff Zgonina or DE Chuck Nwokorie may have to be sacrificed. Baltimore is expected to have one of the tighter cap situations, so some tough choices will be needed.
BIRMINGHAM: Getting LB DeMeco Ryans inked should be a priority for the Stallions, but they have such a glaring need at QB, perhaps the most expensive position on the roster, that their need to sign a sure fire talent may force them to cut corners elsewhere to free up cap room. If they do sign Ryans, then expect others like G Solomon Page, or DT Nick Eason to pay the consequences and find themselves seeking a spot on a new team.
BOSTON: Tackle Marco Colombo could be the odd man out this year. He has had a rough year and Boston may be seeking new options to protect whoever they have at QB in 2011. They will want to prioritize the resigning of some defensive keys like DT Casey Hampton or SS Dexter Jackson, so Colombo could be looking for a new team.
CHARLOTTE: Another team that may well be in the QB market and may need to use up a considerable amount of cap space to find an answer there. They also have some potential flight risks in WR Stevie Johnson, another very vocal player, as well as HB Fred Jackson, who has never fully been embraced by Coach Mora’s offensive scheme.
CHICAGO: With Brian Urlacher still unsigned, you know what the priority is in Chicago. The Machine have decent cap space right now, so they can retain Urlacher and still have some funds for players like Darren Sharper, Kendrell Bell and Chshad Baumann. The player who may be the odd man out is likely LB Rocky Boiman, who tends to be more of a swing sub rather than a clear cut starter.
DENVER: SS Roy Williams, C Mike Flanagan, and LB Shawne Merriman are all up for renewal this year, and Denver would hate to lose any of them. But, reality is reality. They just won’t come in under the cap if they sign all three.
HOUSTON: With both Ike Hilliard and Mike Sims-Walker on contract years, Houston will have to decide whether they want to go with the vet or let youth be served. Hilliard, at 32, still has several good years left in him, so they may try to retain a top player and let the younger MSW go. They also landed James Farrior on a 1-year deal last offseason, which made sense, but now they will absolutely want to sign him to a longer deal, and that won’t be cheap.
JACKSONVILLE: No doubts here. Mission 1 is sign Mike Vrabel. Even if that means that Lavar Arrington has to be let go. Of the two there is no doubt that Vrabel is more vital to the Bulls at this stage. Arrington has slowed down and had injury issues the past few seasons, while Vrabel is not only a top flight player, but a team leader on a team that needs to establish a clearer identity.
LAS VEGAS: The Thunder are built on defense, but with Joey Porter, Antoine Winfield, and Vonnie Holiday all up for a new deal, some compromises are going to need to be made. We are pretty sure the top target is Porter. Why wouldn’t it be? But will they let Winfield or Holliday go to be able to pay what Porter is going to ask?
LOS ANGELES: We already mentioned Polamalu’s discontent in LA. If the Express let him go, then they may have enough cap space to make decent offers to others like LB Lofa Tatupu or RT Erik Pears. That may honestly be the best option for them, as much as it will hurt to let the USC star go.
MEMPHIS: Jake Delhomme’s deal with the Showboats is up this year. We are just not sure what the ‘Boats are thinking with him, which is intriguing. He is certainly a better option than many teams have had, but he has had trouble leading teams to significant wins. If his reputation as a solid player who cannot win key games is believed by the Showboat management, then they may well let him test the waters, where we know someone will nibble, and then make a play for either a rookie or, if available, Drew Brees.
MICHIGAN: Brian Griese’s season-ending injury is having a huge impact on his contract negotiation, as you would expect. Michigan wants to be sure that the 34-year old can return to the form that won him an OPOTY award in 2009. Griese wants to cash in on his success in Michigan, but missing this entire season makes him a risky prospect. We think he will resign, it is truly the best option for him, but guaranteed money could be a hard no from the Panthers.
NASHVILLE: O-line is the issue for the Knights they have guard Max Jean-Gilles, tackle Chris Williams, and both their starting and backup centers on contract years. Now, they have cap space, so they could find the room to sign all 4 if they wanted but that would handicap them in free agency, and the offense could definitely use some infusion (at WR particularly), while the defense is getting older and could use a youth movement. We think perhaps only 2 of the 4 are likely to be inked before the season ends.
NEW JERSEY: Linebacker Donterrious Thomas is an interesting consideration for the Generals. He has been steady over the years, great at times, but inconsistent. Can they do better if they let him go? Are they ready to move on? That is a very interesting situation to monitor as we get closer to the offseason.
NEW ORLEANS: We are intrigued by the Breaker backfield. Both Matt Forte and Michael Robinson are up for a new deal, and we still don’t know if the Breakers see either of them as a true starting back. They mix them up so much each week that trying to predict if they will sign both is nearly impossible. Right now, Forte is on the cheaper contract, but will that stay the case as they both look for more money to be a true lead back? Have either of them made a convincing case they can take on that role?
OAKLAND: Both Ruben Brown and Logan Mankins are in contract years, and both are players who earned All-USFL accolades last year. Can a team really afford two All-USFL guards? And if so, can they do so and still have cap room for more expensive positions. Honestly, they should do what they can to sign both, but they should also be concerned about WR Greg Jennings (still unsigned) and the defense.
OHIO: Joey Galloway is 36. If he chooses to retire, Ohio is off the hook, but if not, do they really let him walk. Resigning him would be very expensive, and Ohio has the worst cap situation of any team in the league, thanks largely to some big deals made over the past 3 seasons. They have needs, and they have other veteran starters up for a new deal. We think the team may have to let Galloway go if he does not choose to retire this offseason. Fans will hate it, but it may be the right move to make.
ORLANDO: Outside of an unhappy QB in Brees, the Renegades are pretty much sitting pretty for free agency. They have few players of great importance to worry about (guard Steve Sciulo and DT Kenny Smith) and they have nearly $25M in cap room. If they trade Brees away, they would have more than enough money to sign a bevvy of draft picks, and to find a new starter (transition QB or rookie phenom).
PHILADELPHIA: Steve Smith wants to get paid. And he deserves to. Problem is, so does CB Quentin Jammer, DT Seth Payne, and SS lance Schulters. Not sure there is enough money in the Philadelphia Mint for the Stars, though their cap number is not horrible.
PITTSBURGH: Patrick Surtain is the Mauler we are watching these last few weeks. He has become a true stud for the Mauler defense and he should fetch a pretty penny, either from Pittsburgh or on the free agent market.
PORTLAND: We mentioned Fisk and Maslowski, but LB Roosevelt Colvin is another key defender who could be a flight risk. If they lose all three, they would basically need to rebuild from scratch a defense which has been their best feature this year. We cannot see them going that route. Expect at least 2 of the 3 to get nice, pricey new deals.
SEATTLE: Is it retool time or full rebuild time in Seattle? A lot will depend on if Marvin Lewis keeps his job or if ownership goes a new direction. If they do let Lewis go, then we expect veterans, even good veterans, like Takeo Spikes, Brandon Noble, and Jamie Winborn to be possible departures as the Dragons try to find cap room to build something new.
ST. LOUIS: St. Louis has some players they want to keep, particularly HB Antowain Smith and center Shaun O’Hara, but they also want to refresh the roster. We expect them to be very active in free agency, so that means they are also expected to let a lot of contracts lapse so they can have cap room to bring in new blood.
TAMPA BAY: Guard Steve Hutchinson and DT Jason Peter are the two top targets the Bandits have to focus on. Others, like HB LaBrandon Toefield or T Marvel Smith are likely much lower priorities. They may make an offer, but they are not going to spend big on others when they have 2 players they absolutely do not want to lose.
TEXAS: TE Dan Campbell has done what every player wants to do in a contract year, make himself indispensable. Expec the 32-year old to get paid and paid well (for a TE). LB Kailee Wong is another important player the Outlaws will want to retain, but they also have Chad Greenway up on his final year, so can they afford to sign both. Right now that looks tough as they have only $5M in cap space, but we expect some contract restructures to free up a bit more.
WASHINGTON: LB Antonio Pierce needs to be paid like a Top 3 player at his position, and that will not be cheap. But, perhaps more interesting, QB David Garrard is making a strong case that he should not be a 1-year fill-in until the Feds can do better. He has Washington in the playoff hunt and is playing well enough to be in the conversation.
What do we have on tap in the penultimate week of the season? How about 9 divisional games, including gems like Philly-New Jersey, Baltimore-Washington, Denver-Texas, and Charlotte-Atlanta. Then, just for fun we throw in the 10-4 Houston Gamblers at 9-5 Oakland, or Tampa Bay and Michigan, both hanging on to hope at 7-7, meeting in Detroit. A lot could get sorted out this week, as we have matchups across the entire schedule with huge playoff implications. Sure, we also have St. Louis at Ohio, but one stinker a week is not that bad.
FRIDAY @ 8pm ET NEW ORLEANS (8-6) @ MEMPHIS (5-9) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET ST. LOUIS (4-10) @ OHIO (2-11-1) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET LAS VEGAS (8-6) @ BOSTON (6-8) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET PHILADELPHIA (10-4) @ NEW JERSEY (7-7) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm ET HOUSTON (10-4) @ OAKLAND (9-5) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm ET TAMPA BAY (7-7) @ MICHIGAN (7-7) FOX
SATURDAY @ 8pm ET JACKSONVILLE (6-8) @ ORLANDO (7-7) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET CHARLOTTE (5-9) @ ATLANTA (9-5) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET ARIZONA (5-9) @ PITTSBURGH (9-4-1) FOX
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET NASHVILLE (8-6) @ BIRMINGHAM (2-12) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET SEATTLE (5-9) @ CHICAGO (9-5) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET LOS ANGELES (4-10) @ PORTLAND (7-7) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET DENVER (11-3) @ TEXAS (8-6) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm ET BALTIMORE (9-5) @ WASHINGTON (8-6) ESPN & EFN